The present invention relates generally to a retainer clip, and in particular to a retainer clip for use with a handle bezel on a vehicle closure and a method of installing the handle bezel.
In many conventional automotive vehicles, at least one of the passenger doors has a handle bezel with an opening for inserting a key into a key cylinder in order to unlock the door latch. This is also true for the lift gates and similar cargo closures on station wagons, sport utility vehicles and vans. In addition, the key cylinder on the rear openings are generally keyed to unlock with the same key as the passenger doors.
The end gates (also called lift gates) of conventional pickup trucks, on the other hand, did not include locks. More recently, however, end gates in some pickup trucks have added a lock cylinder for locking the end gate latch. The addition of a lock cylinder adds extra steps in the assembly process since now a key cylinder needs to be assembled to the handle bezel of the end gate before the bezel is mounted to the end gate. Moreover, the additional key cylinder for the end gate is preferably brought to the vehicle at the same time as the key cylinder for the passenger door(s) in order to assure that a matched set (a set that will use the same key) is assembled to each vehicle. An extra assembly station in the assembly plant can be added to accomplish these tasks, but this can be undesirable from both a cost and an assembly process standpoint. The matched key cylinders can also be tracked separately in the plant, but this is generally undesirable from both a cost and assembly process standpoint.
Some end gates on pickup trucks include an access panel on the inner surface adjacent to the latch handle, providing access to a securing means within the end gate for the handle assembly as well as the handle bezel and lock cylinder. This may allow for assembly at a single station. However, not all end gates include such an access panel, and this may not always eliminate the need for another assembly station.
Another option is to provide a fastener that will secure the handle bezel on the outer surface of the end gate by extending through the bezel and engaging the end gate. This is not only less aesthetically attractive, but this would somewhat defeat the purpose for adding a lock on the end gate in the first place since one may be able to defeat the lock by unscrewing the fastener and removing the handle bezel to unlatch the end gate.
Thus, it is desirable to have some means on the inner surface of the end gate to allow one to release the handle bezel when needing repair, while preventing the bezel from being released and removed from the outer surface of the end gate. Preferably, this is accomplished while still allowing for flexibility in the timing and station at which the handle bezel is installed on the end gate in the assembly plant.